Lindsey talked about cross platform buying; improved targeting; COVID's impact on TV; how brand are reaching cord cutters and cord "nevers" and a lot more.

Today we have the one we have the only Lindsey Talbot, who is the Chief Investment Officer for GroupM Canada. Lindsay, what is going on?

[00:00:43] Dave Forde: Now you have a big job description and that sounds like you do a lot.

I'm just gonna guess. So give, gimme a little breakdown. What exactly is your role?

[00:01:13] Dave Forde: Very good. And that I'm sure role at that is certainly changing over the last couple of years, but probably for the entire time. Never moment. There you go. Never moment. So let's talk TV. What are your, some of your favorite shows from last season?

Anything was welcome. And look, there was no shortage of quality programs and I think it's important to point out that there was a lot of good Canadian programs that gave a lot of our clients and advertisers, great opportunities to integrate. So live sports came back, which was huge.

And we were able to, launch it here with Quebec in Quebec. The Mass Singer in French, they launched their own version of it. And we all know it in French Canada. When they launch a new show in conventional television, the ratings are still through the roof. Bachelor in Paradise Canada that debuted and also look the Olympics. There was a great opportunity for a lot of our, our brands and clients to integrate and you know show their support for Team Canada. So no shortage of opportunities.

Are there any particular shows that you are looking forward to?

And particularly if you know, they weren't pulling the ratings in the us, they would get yanked. Well, nobody has the bandwidth or production wherewithal to do that right now. So the good news is if you do have a pilot and it gets the green light, they're making a season.

Most likely they are making a full season. So we just, what we saw was the, the broadcasters in the US. And then obviously the Canadian broadcasters where they're purchasing a lot of their content. They didn't have as many holes to fill on their schedule as they have before. But a few of them that have interested that caught my eye.

So there, you know, it has potential to grow, you know, develop a lot of those characters. Bell Media, CTV they are launching a Battle of the Generation, so it's quiz show where contestants of different ages compete to see who knows the most. So it's baby boomers versus gen X, millennials versus gen Z.

So that has the potential to be fun. And if they start to bring some celebrities in perhaps, you know have the celebrities in their families has potential to have some fun with that. I saw that there's a reboot Night Court coming which I'm not sure if we needed it, but I'm gonna give it a chance I'm here for it.

[00:05:06] Dave Forde: Good point. So speaking of actors, in your role, you obviously get to meet a lot of people. I'm sure you have tons of lunches all the time. Who is an actor that you'd like to break bread with?

[00:05:57] Dave Forde: Yep. So you talk about how you know, [00:06:00] this, this se the upcoming season doesn't have a lot of new shows, net new shows. Are there any trends that you notice coming out of this season's fronts?

And then, you know, really being able to target our desired audience, making that a lot easier and then just a focus on streaming and, and Connected TV.

Are there certain platforms that you're noticing they're moving towards versus others?

And, and certainly depending on our client and brand KPIs we adjust accordingly, but you know, the role of linear versus linear television versus the role of Connected TV versus online video, they. They all fit together in a puzzle, but they all play very different roles and fulfill different strategies within their overall media plans.

[00:08:48] Lindsey Talbot: Yeah, I think consumers are really demanding that, you know, they're the advertising that they see or the content that they see on their social [00:09:00] platforms is authentic. And that you know we pass that sentiment on to our clients. So make sure that what you're doing is authentic in that space. It's pride month and more and more you read articles and hear about it's very important for our clients to show up and support during pride month, but they can't disappear for the other 11 months of the year. Just as an example, it's, you know, all about your authenticity in that space and showing that you truly support a social cause and that you're there not only when it's, you know, advantageous to show off your branding. So it's really just about being authentic in the space and knowing when to pivot. I mean, there was, yeah, there was a lot of social unrest, obviously in the last two years. And we saw clients we saw clients react very, very quickly. There was in terms of who they were supporting in social and, and who they were choosing to to not support.

[00:10:01] Lindsey Talbot: I think so. I think they, you know, a as they're, as they're at agencies, we have to be there advising them and, and helping them to, to pivot very, very quickly sometimes to to, you know, stay ahead of, of what's what's what's happening in the world.

But absolutely, I think particularly in the social space where it's. Easy to you know, react and, and, and act appropriately or, or pull out in a, in a very quick manner. If it there's something that, you know, we, we should not be supporting the brands don't wanna be a part of. Yeah, I think that's, that's going to continue.

[00:10:49] Lindsey Talbot: Yeah, I mean, the, the shift to connected TV has been so rapid. Even then the, the, you know, looking at the first quarter versus the second quarter [00:11:00] of this year, we've seen such a rapid shift to connect to TV, which is great because we've been educating our clients.

You know for the last few years in terms of where we, where we should be in this space and where we think the brand should be in this space certainly at a home. Has made a, you know, tremendous comeback. And then what we're really seeing out of, you know, beyond traditional static out of home is really all the opportunities in digital, out of home and now programmatic digital out of home.

So really that, that opportunity to get much more granular and much more targeted. And then lastly, for obvious reasons, cinema advertising has come back with the vengeance because right. A we're finally able to, to get back in into the theaters and there's some, the, the good and the bad news is that a lot of the releases sat on the shelves for two, three years, depending on what they were.

And now they're all, they're all coming out in succession. So a lot of opportunity.

[00:12:00] Lindsey Talbot: I did. I went and saw the the top gun sequel last weekend. Yes. There you go. Um, I. Important to note that I, I went with two friends and we had to, we had to go V I P big reclining seats, ball of wine, real food.

So yeah, it we, we went for, look at you bawling out. Exactly. It's been a long two years in this house, so . Yeah, it was, it was time to go all out.

[00:12:38] Lindsey Talbot: Look there's no. Yeah, there, there's no denying the drop in linear TV audiences has been, you know, slow and steady over the past five, even 10 years. But certainly there are, you know, there's cord cutters and there's cord nevers that we still need to reach through, you know, our clients still need to reach them. So [00:13:00] it's more important than ever to have a solid linear and Connected TV strategy understand where that sort of point of diminishing return is with your linear TV campaign. Or you're not reaching anyone else you're just paying for frequency. And then how much more unduplicated reach we can get through connected TV and more and more we're seeing more opportunities because we still have limited scope here in Canada in terms of our connected TV inventory. Add supported inventory, but, the exciting part is that Corus announce that Pluto TV, they will be representing Pluto TV coming here, in the fall. So that's, that's a whole opens up a whole opportunity, brand safe, quality, broadcast, quality, inventory in this market. And, that's really what we're hungry for. That's that's what we're after. For our clients. So it's a good opportunity for the broadcasters who also have their own Connected TV offering. So it's a good opportunity for them to work with us. And so that the dollars that we're seeing leave linear where you [00:14:00] know, we're actively trying to reinvest them with our broadcasters in the connected space.

[00:14:24] Lindsey Talbot: Look for the industry. It's more inventory that we that we can access for our clients. So in terms of industry, it's a good opportunity, but we have to remember that not everyone's going to jump onto an ad supported model, even though Netflix has gone from what I think it was $8.99.

[00:15:20] Dave Forde: Okay. So speaking of clients and just brands overall, you know, how do, how should brands prepare for upfront season and what's to come next?

So yeah, flexibility is key in understanding how you know important that is to them versus. Getting that most efficient inventory and understanding if they wait, they might not be able [00:17:00] to get in and buy the TV weight that they want. Because it just won't be there. We're seeing, we're seeing linear TV sell out faster than we ever have, but it's for the wrong reasons.

[00:17:21] Lindsey Talbot: That's a good question. It means, I think an iconic brand means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me. The brand that stands out whenever someone talks about and iconic brand adidas. They have kept it, you know, they've kept their branding. Very simple. It's very versatile, you know, it, you see the added us logo, you know what it is. They have stuck to what they are exceptionally good at, which is, you know, sponsoring the sport sporting events, they've always stayed authentic in their space. So yes, they're a bit of a fashion icon as well, but they know what they [00:18:00] represent in the sporting world. And I think they, you know they've stayed authentic. Over the years. So it's like, to me, that is a brand that's iconic. They've stuck to their guns. They they've kept it simple, but very strong messaging. And they know what they're great at and they stick to that. They stick to that model and then they do. They put money behind the, the sporting events that are important to them that they authentically know they belong, you as the sponsor of.

[00:18:51] Lindsey Talbot: Look, it's a, it's a tough one. The New York up fronts, they all went forward this year in person, I think actually Fox brought [00:19:00] everyone in person and then had a virtual showing, which was an odd strategy, but It's tough because I know, and I attended them all, including the Bell Media upfront in person. And it was wonderful to be there. There's an energy that comes when you're in person. And, you know, you see the presentations, they brought the stars out on stage, and then you got to mingle with everyone after it, that energy you can't create that energy. From from home virtually, but right. That being said the cost to do some of these events is tremendous. So sure. It's a tough one. If I was the one signing off on some of these upfront bills, I'm not sure I would, I would know what that answer is, but I will say, yeah. The energy at the at the Bell up front was, uh, bar none, but also we'd been locked up for two years and had to see one another.

[00:20:21] Dave Forde: Right? Okay. Well there you have at boys and girls, the one and only Lindsay Talbot, appreciate your time today.

[00:20:31] Dave Forde: Excellent. Talk to you very, very soon. All right. Good.